I build my own speaker cabs for electric guitar. I have recently started putting together a rig for amplified acoustic and am using a 1x12 cab I built with an old JBL D123 for my acoustic guitar. The D123 is pretty full range and closer to a hifi PA speaker than a traditional electric guitar speaker, but it definitely lacks the high end sparkle. I’m thinking of possibly adding a tweeter to the cab, and a crossover. Looking for someone who would know if that might work, or if a 12” speaker is not appropriate for acoustic for some reason. Also looking for recommendations for the tweeter and XO, if this seems like an idea worth pursuing.
The classic combination is a D123 plus a JBL ring tweeter plus the datasheet suggested crossover, I´d expect 4500Hz or so but check Factory recommendation.
If original JBL is too expensive, Selenium ring/bullet tweeters are very good and way more affordable.
Plus nowadays they are "JBL" too
If original JBL is too expensive, Selenium ring/bullet tweeters are very good and way more affordable.
Plus nowadays they are "JBL" too
Thank you that sound like exactly what I’m looking for. I see a lot of different models of the selenium ring tweeter, and idea which model would be appropriate, also any links for where to get the crossover?The classic combination is a D123 plus a JBL ring tweeter plus the datasheet suggested crossover, I´d expect 4500Hz or so but check Factory recommendation.
If original JBL is too expensive, Selenium ring/bullet tweeters are very good and way more affordable.
Plus nowadays they are "JBL" too
https://www.parts-express.com/Selenium-ST400-Super-Tweeter-Black-264-450
Now the crossover is just a PCB with capacitors, coils and terminals.
https://www.parts-express.com/Dayton-Audio-XO2W-4.5K-2-Way-Crossover-4-500-Hz-260-148
Normal is you mount Tweeter and D123 in the same enclosure, bolt crossover inside and wire terminals where appropriate, and connect crossover input to a jack mounted on a back plate.
IF you mount tweeter in its own small enclosure , then it contains input jack>internal crossover > tweeter wires go to tweeter, woofer wires j
go to a second jack on backplate so you can connect this "treble box" to D123 .
But I don´t recommend that, keep it simple and straightforward, everything in the same enclosure.
Now the crossover is just a PCB with capacitors, coils and terminals.
https://www.parts-express.com/Dayton-Audio-XO2W-4.5K-2-Way-Crossover-4-500-Hz-260-148
Normal is you mount Tweeter and D123 in the same enclosure, bolt crossover inside and wire terminals where appropriate, and connect crossover input to a jack mounted on a back plate.
IF you mount tweeter in its own small enclosure , then it contains input jack>internal crossover > tweeter wires go to tweeter, woofer wires j
go to a second jack on backplate so you can connect this "treble box" to D123 .
But I don´t recommend that, keep it simple and straightforward, everything in the same enclosure.
Can’t thank you enough. That makes sense and I’m definitely keeping it I. The same enclosure.
You´re welcome.
"Just in case" I would wire one of these in series with one of the tweeter terminals:
https://www.parts-express.com/Crossover-Tweeter-Protector-Lamp-260-231
In fact it´s a little too large for my taste, it allows up to 25W through (12V 2.1A rating), I´d get a 12V 12W or 15W (1A or 1.25A) bulb at any car service station.
"Just in case" I would wire one of these in series with one of the tweeter terminals:
https://www.parts-express.com/Crossover-Tweeter-Protector-Lamp-260-231
In fact it´s a little too large for my taste, it allows up to 25W through (12V 2.1A rating), I´d get a 12V 12W or 15W (1A or 1.25A) bulb at any car service station.
Finally finished the speaker and thought I’d post it here. It sounds amazing for acoustic guitar
Hey, killer cabinet
And I bet it must blow your head off
PS: now that they appear on a picture, you might also comment something about your pedals
And guitar pickup(s), preamp if used, etc. , for a complete picture.
Sure. The pedalboard is a pretty simple one I built myself quickly. The heart of the board is the ALiX preamp by Grace Designs. It’s an incredible preamp and so we’ll thought out, but most importantly it’s dead silent. It has an insert loop where I run the other pedals. The Kingsley Bard is a bias modulating Trem which contains a 12AX7 internally. Kingsley pedals are hand made by Simon Jarrett who is an amp builder who now mostly makes tube based pedals. Can’t say enough about his work and this Trem is no exception, just an incredible tone. The other two are a MXR Echoplex delay which I really like because, unlike an actual Echoplex it has a bright first repeat and the rest darken as they go. I found that unlike electric guitar, for acoustic guitar, the pedals which emulate a tape or analog delay interact better with the acoustic, not sure why. The last is a UA Golden reverb which I love the tone of. Probably the best plate reverb emulation I’ve ever heard. The ALiX runs into the FX loop return of a Two Rock SP35 (great little amp). By going to the fx loop return I can bypass the amps preamp (and it’s tonal coloration) which is essentially replaced by the ALiX. The nice thing is that the Two Rock’s fx loop return still gives me access to its onboard spring reverb which is amazing. 95% of the time I just use a touch of the amps spring verb and no pedals, then use the pedals sparingly for effect. Lastly the board power supply is the new Cioks SOL. Can’t say enough about Cioks stuff as I switched over to them on my electric boards a few years back and everything became quieter. Since I run tube pedals and some other high draw pedals the Voodoo labs stuff just can’t keep up. Interestingly enough when I ordered the SOL I temporarily threw a 5 outlet Voodoo labs PS I had laying around (also had different lower draw pedals). When I swapped it out for the Cioks I heard a pretty significant tonal difference, much more so than I expected.
Lastly the guitar is a D28 Custom with an Adirondack top. I love the guitar and when I had it refretted last year I decided to have a pickup installed. Upon the techs recommendation I went with an LR Baggs Anthem SL. I usually research things like this to death but had to make a quick decision. In retrospect I wish I had gone with something like a K&K Pure Mini as I don’t need an onboard preamp on my pickup, since I have the ALiX and I hate having a battery in my guitar that can affect the tone when it starts to die.
Thanks for the detailed explanation.
It will be useful to many with similar needs because you make good use of not-too-common stuff.
12AX7 grid modulating tremolo?
Real old school.
Inside a pedal? .... Wow!!!!!
That´s dedication!!!!
Excellent idea by Two Rock about letting you bypass the "Geetar" preamp with it obvious coloration (I was somewhat surprised by your choice but now it makes sense) yet keeping Reverb available.
It will be useful to many with similar needs because you make good use of not-too-common stuff.
12AX7 grid modulating tremolo?
Real old school.
Inside a pedal? .... Wow!!!!!
That´s dedication!!!!
Excellent idea by Two Rock about letting you bypass the "Geetar" preamp with it obvious coloration (I was somewhat surprised by your choice but now it makes sense) yet keeping Reverb available.
This kind of evolved from my electric rig. I run a wet dry setup into the fx loop return of the same Two Rock and a Mesa 100 watt Lonestar classic. Kingsley makes hardwired tube preamps of many of the classic amps. On my pedalboard at home I have Kingsley preamps for a Blackface, a Plexi, a tweed and a Vox EF86. I can switch between them with a toe tap on my pedalboard. At volume it’s amazing. These run into a Kingsley tube phase inverter and a Fuchs fx loop pedal so that the time based fx don’t clip. The hatchet is the Kingsley phase inverter and with the Constable (Plexi preamp circuit) running into it, emulated the Plexi amp PI overdrive tone at much lower volumes than a non master volume Plexi which gets insanely loud when turned up to a volume to really sing. My gigging board is MUCH smaller and just has the Blackface and JTM45 preamps plus a few fx.
This is my gigging board I built
This is my gigging board I built
Yeah that’s an interesting one. There’s a guy in LA who makes custom runs of treble boosters using all vintage parts and original rangemaster boxes. He collects old signage/dials etc to use on the pedal housing. I had him build me one in a smaller box, with OC44 transistors like the original spec and he used the old Phillips signage he had. Came out really nice and sounds amazing pushing the Plexi preamp.
What's a "set list" where you'd use most of what's shown? Acoustic + gigging? I once had the Mutron III, which would lock onto a note on its way down the envelope and then sustain it indefinitely - with all that bandpass gain.
Great display of guitar and signal chain aficionado!
Great display of guitar and signal chain aficionado!
Haha. I’m assuming your talking about the big board, or the mothership as I call it. It doesn’t leave the house and is insanely fun to play. Notice that every pedal is engaged by the switcher so ONLY the pedals engaged are in the chain